Leangle's Odyssey
by xXShADoWXeRoXx07
Summary: He lost his family at such a tender age. Since then, he vowed to protect all of mankind, even at the cost of his own life. Now that the undead have awakened, the world needs a savior, a protector. Will he answer the call and rise to the occasion? Or will he cower in fear and surrender to the darkness? This is his story,and it will go where he wants it to. Alternate-Universe.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! This is a story that just popped out of my mind a few weeks ago. I had this itch to write a story about the famous show 'Kamen Rider Blade'. So here it is guys, the fic that's been bugging me for quite some time. Now, as the title says, the main character of this fiction is Leangle. I always thought that he was the most overlooked rider in the show (Kamen Rider Blade). Also, I think that his back-story in the show is a very vague one. The show centered on Blade, Garren and Chalice for the majority of it. Leangle always seemed to be left out and out of place. This fiction will center on him more than it will on the other three riders, to you know, even the odds a bit among these guys. The fact that Leangle is my favorite rider also plays as a contributing factor as to why I chose the protagonist to play as him. Now, if you guys watched the show, you'll notice that Leangle's back-story here is somehow similar to Kazuma Kenzaki's(Blade). Well, let's say that I stole some things from Blade and gave it to Leangle. Bwahaha! Without further ado, on with the story!**

My name is Kentavious Lovell-Blakewood. I am a normal seventeen year-old senior at the Raleigh National High School. I used to be a typical high school kid, energetic, cheerful, amiable, friendly, courageous, adventurous, witty(according to others) and addition to my resume, I like to play both basketball and football as well. I play both as the starting point guard and the starting cornerback for my respective varsity high school teams. Not only am I a two-way all-american athlete, but I also excel in academics. Academically, I am one of the top students in the class and I am consistent first-class distinction awardee. Socially, I have many friends and I am accepted by the society pretty much because of my attitude.

It seems that I have a perfect life, no? However, everything changed during that one eventful day. I just finished basketball practice and decided to go home. On the way, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see who it was, then the next thing I knew, someone grappled my neck and covered my nose with a handkerchief. I struggled from the person's grip, but he was too strong. Gradually, I lost consciousness and I blacked out.

For after who knows how long, I woke up. When I opened my eyes and looked around, it seems that I was in somekind of a laboratory. I shot straight up and got on my feet. I paced from corner to corner, trying to find an exit to this haunted place. I was so focused on getting out of here, that I barely noticed a hidden door open. There stood one man. He walked up to me clad in a formal attire.

"Ah, you have awakened."

"Who are you people?" I asked as I backed up against the wall.

"I am Stephen Valemore, director and CEO of the Board Of Archaeological Research Department better known as B.O.A.R.D.."

"I've never heard of you guys." I answered.

"Understandable, young one. That is why we brought you here."

"Wait a sec. Where am I anyway?" I asked.

"You are in our main research facility just off the coast of the Carolina Border."

"What?! Why did you guys bring me here? What the hell do you want with me?"

"Easy, kiddo. We brought you here to inform you of our situation."

"Situation? Our situation? Whoa, whoa, I have nothing to do with you people."

"Calm down, boy. Let me finish. We brought you here to explain a couple of things to you. Not only that, but we've brought you here because we also need your help."

"My help?"

"Indeed. Everything will be made clear in a moment. Please, remain patient."

"Very well. But hey, how did I end up here? The last thing I remember is that someone tried to kill me by letting me inhale somekind of substance. I blacked out and lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was already in here."

"Oh, about that, my apologies. We had to bring you here as soon as possible, so I decided to use drastic measures. I ordered my men to knock you out and bring you here to the facility. It appeared to be the easiest way to transport you here."

"Are you serious? You could've just walked up to me and told me."

"Are YOU serious? Do you think that you would just go with us if we did that? Of course you would resist. That's why I ordered my men to temporarily knock you out. That way, there would be no questions asked."

"Touche."

"Now come, I shall further explain everything as we go."

I didn't trust this Stephen guy, but it seemed that I didn't have a choice. Whatever these people want with me, they're not stopping until they get it from me. I relented and just followed. The sooner I help these people the sooner I get to get the hell outta here.

led me down the hallway outside the room I was held in. While we were walking, he gave me quite the backstory regarding the purpose of my presence. He told me everything about the so called Battle Fight. He told me the ins and outs of the great battle.

To sum everything up, the Battle Fight was a royal rumble-esque match to determine the most powerful among the so called 'Undead'. There are fifty-three undead all-in-all. An undead, like in a full deck of cards,represents one card in a particular suit. Meaning, there are thirteen undead which belongs to each of the four suits and the joker. All undead take part in the so called Battle Fight. For the victor of the Battle Fight will be given a choice to either recreate the world to his liking or to retain the world in its current state.

The undead were sealed long ago. However, a few months earlier, someone undid the seal and emancipated all of the undead. Therefore, the Battle Fight has reset. Now, the undead battle for world dominance...yet again. They have been scattered everywhere all across the country. Since the undead are natural beasts, they do not care about humans. They will not let anything and anyone stand in the way of their battle royale. So that explains why there have been some alien-like attacks on national television lately. It seems that the undead are finally being overpowered by their thirst for battle.

"I...I see. But how do we stop the undead? We can't just let them eradicate our entire race. We humans have no part in this Battle Fight of theirs. We are simply innocent beings caught in the middle of a crossfire. We didn't sign up for this. Surely there is a way to stop them." I stated.

Stephen smiled. "I am glad that you brought that up. You are correct. There is a way to stop the undead."

"How?"

"By using the what we call 'Rider System' that we have recently developed."

"Rider System?"

"Yes. The Rider System is a newly-developed battle system that will allow a particular individual to transform into a Masked Rider. Now, Masked Riders have the ability to go head-to-head with the undead as the Rider System was developed to enchance an individual's physical/mental/spiritual/psychological capabilities to match with the undead's."

"Sounds cool but I don't get this Rider System. How do people transform into Masked Riders? Do they undergo a surgery or something like that?"

"No. The Rider System combines the power of the Category Ace undead with a particular human. With that, the person will be able to transform to a Masked Rider."

"So Masked Riders are humans with undead-infused powers?"

"In a way, yes."

"So where am I in all this? You guys seem to know your spots and stuff. Why bring me into the equation?"

"As I have said, to create a Masked Rider, one must fuse with the power of the Category Ace, correct? However, it is not that simple. One does not simply fuse with the Category Ace and turns into a true Masked Rider. To fuse with the Category Ace, one must possess a certain fusion level. In other words, one must be compatible with the undead to fuse with it. Until then, attempting to fuse with the undead, will be futile."

"Okay, but I reiterate, where am I in all this?"

"You, Kentavious, your fusion level is compatible with a Category Ace's. Which means that you possess the potential to become a true Masked Rider."

**That's it for the first chapter guys! I hope that you folks enjoyed it. Feel free to leave any comments or reviews below. And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'll be doing my best to answer all of your questions(if you'll ask any that is). I've finished writing chapters 2 and 3. I will upload them after I've finished editing them. Thanks again for reading! Have a nice day! **


	2. Chapter 2: The First Henshin

Chapter 2: The First Henshin

I froze when I heard what Stephen said. I am compatible to become a Masked Rider? Me? The student-athlete from Raleigh is a potential Masked Rider? Unbelievable!

"Wh-what? I'm...I'm...I'm what?!"

"Another reason why I ordered my men to knock you out, was because we had to run some tests on your body. I know that you would've protested, so I ordered scientists to conduct the tests while you were out cold. Diagnostics proved that your fusion level is high enough to become one with the Category Ace. To answer your question, you are here, because we plan to turn you to a Masked Rider. Mankind is in danger with the undead on the loose. The world needs its protectors. You are one of them, boy. Do you accept?"

Millions of thoughts ran through my mind. It was as if I was Will Smith in the movie 'Men in Black'. The world needs me. If I pass up this opportunity, then a lot of people will suffer. If I take the job though, what will my family feel? Also, what will my friends and other relatives feel? Who will I become once I decide to become a Masked Rider?

However, Stephen made a legitimate point. I am indeed needed by the world. And if I am capable of providing some assistance to mankind, then I shouldn't pass up the opportunity, right? My family will get worried, so will my friends. However, what I am about to do is for their sakes as well.

I sighed and nodded. "I accept."

"Good. Welcome to the organization, Kentavious. Now that you are an official member of B.O.A.R.D., it is time to introduce you to your colleages."

We stopped and entered a room. It seemed to be Stephen's office, judging from the arrangement, organization and overall structure of the room. Inside, there stood two men near his desk, seemingly arguing about something.

Stephen coughed to catch their attention. The two men turned their heads towards us and approached.

"Kentavious, may I introduce to you, Antawn Boldin, known as Masked Rider Blade," Stephen said as he gestured to the man. We locked gazes and shook each other's hand. "and Tony Garcon, known as Masked Rider Garren." He gestured as I did the same with Tony.

"Nice to meet you, kiddo, but who is he, chief?" Antawn asked.

"He is a soon-to-be Masked Rider, Antawn. He is the candidate that we have been looking for that possesses the fusion level to fuse with the club's Category Ace."

"Are you serious chief? But he's just a kid!" Tony added.

"We have no choice. He is the only human who is compatible with the last Category Ace undead. The undead are everywhere, two riders can only do so much. We need all the help we can get. Police forces cannot harm the undead in any way, shape or form. You know that. We need him if we're to protect the world."

Tony remained silent and just hung his head. "Now, have you sealed the last Category Ace?"

"The Spider Undead? Yeah, I just sealed him earlier." Antawn answered as he held out a card.

Chief Stephen took the card and examined it. I did the same in the background. It was a very interesting card. It was a normal-sized card, but it had the picture of a giant, eight-legged, green spider. The spider was like any other spider, but on its magnified body was a yellow-colored clover symbol. Also, the background of the spider was colored in brown. Below the picture were the words: 'Change Spider'. On the upper left corner of the card, there was also a yellow clover symbol and the letter 'A' below it. Below that, there was a word written, it read: CHANGE. The same designs were found on the lower right corner of the card.

"Excellent." Chief Stephen commented.

"What's that, Chief?" I asked, emulating Tony by calling him 'Chief'.

"This is the sealed version of the last Category Ace undead."

"Whoa, awesome!"

"Hold your horses, kid. This ain't one of your trading cards." Antawn said.

"Are you sure that he is compatible with the Spider Undead, Chief?" Tony asked again in disbelief. "I mean, I can't believe that a seventeen year-old's fusion level is high enough to match with the Category Ace's."

"The diagnostics seem to tell us so. Only one way to find out if those machines aren't lying, no? Kentavious, let's go. Time to see if you are a fit with the Ace Spider."

With that, Chief Stephen and the other two led me to yet another room. After a few minutes, we reached a large door and entered. The room was full of scientists and all sorts of working men. They all bowed to the Chief and returned to their stations. We continued walking and stopped near another door. We entered the room and Chief talked to some people.

"Hey kid."

"Hm?" I turned to Tony.

"I don't know who you are, but I really wish that you didn't have to be here."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"According to the Chief, you are the next Masked Rider, correct?"

"I suppose."

"I don't mean to frighten you, but the life of a Masked Rider is rather...difficult."

"Yeah, I can imagine."

"To be honest with you, living as a Masked Rider is the same as living in a cursed life. You'll spend your days, fighting the undead, saving the world. It's not that I don't want to save mankind, it's just that it can be very tiring at times. Not only is it extremely enervating, but every move you make impacts the course of humanity itself. One wrong move, and the fate of the entire human race may fall into the wrong hands. So much is at stake if you are a Masked Rider. It's as if you have the burden of the entire world on your shoulders."

His words dug deep into my mind. In a way, Tony made a lot of sense. Considering my introvertial nature, I can deeply relate to his words. But still, if I don't do this, then who will? I am chosen for this. I can't simply back away from it.

My thoughts were interrupted as Chief Stephen made his way back to me with a weird object on his hand.

"Kentavious, this is your Buckle Belt and this is your transformation card. Now head inside that door to proceed with the Compatibility Test." He gestured to another door.

I grabbed the belt and examined it. After taking a closer look on it, I eyed Tony, who was also looking at me. He seemed to be telling me something like "Be careful, kid" with his gaze. I shook my head and proceeded to the testing area.

When I was inside, I could barely see a thing. The room was completely dark. A few moments later, all the lights went on. I shielded my eyes until they adjusted. When they finally did, I walked to the center of the platform. A voice went off the microphone when I got there.

"Kentavious, it's Stephen. Now, I have given you the Spider Undead's card and the purple buckle. Listen very carefully and follow my instructions. Look at the right side of your belt. There should be a transparent card-holder in there. Once you've located it, pull it backwards to reveal it."

I located the card holder and pulled it backwards as instructed. "Good. Now, take your card and insert it on the holder." I gingerly inserted the card in the holder. "After that, place the belt on directly on your waist."

I did as instructed. When the belt made contact with my front waist, the left part of the belt immediately released some kind of purple belt extension. The extension extended from the left part of the belt, around my waist to the other side of the belt. When the extension connected, the belt made some kind of fluctuating sound.

"You are ready to transform. Now listen, Kentavious. Look at your belt. It has a purple circle design on the front, right? And there is an optical line on the middle that splits the circle into two parts. I want you to hold the part on the right side. Pull it backwards and face the image that the belt will produce."

I grabbed the right piece of the belt and pulled it backwards. The belt made a noise afterwards.

"Open Up!" The belt exclaimed.

The belt then shot a large purple image in front of me. I tilted my head and faced the image. The image was like I said, a large purple one with the design of the Spider Undead card that I examined earlier. The projection slowly made its way towards me.

My pulse quickened as the projection approached. I do hope that nothing bizarre happens. Tony's words were etched into my mind. Am I really ready for this? But who's going to take my place if I pass it up? My thoughts were broken, as the projection neared me. I was glued to the spot. Something in my gut told me that I should back out, but I did otherwise.

Everything went in slow motion. The projection was just an inch away from my nose. When it continued its march, I felt some kind of impulse within me. The impulse grew stronger, as more of my body was engulfed by the projection. A few seconds later, the projection completely passed through me and I felt a million times stronger.

I looked down my arms and saw that I was no longer human...or that I was just dressed in some kind of suit. I decided that the latter would be more realistic, so I chose to believe that. I was clad in some kind of green-gold suit. I examined my entire body and just couldn't comprehend with what I saw. Man, I look like a superhero or something. Is this a Masked Rider?

I was cut off when I heard the door open. I looked up and saw the Chief with Tony and Antawn enter the room. They all looked at me in amazement.

"Whoa! Is that...?"

"Chief?"

"Yes. The birth of the Ultimate Masked Rider...is complete!" The Chief exclaimed in joy.

Ultimate Masked Rider? Me? For real? I continued examining my whole body. My suit was made out of metallic layers. However, I feel incredibly light. Now why is that? Maybe because of the spider's power. Besides that, I feel extremely powerful. I felt as if I could punch the ground and create a huge foxhole.

"Okay, Kentavious, it is time to put your powers to the test. We will put you through a simulation to see the potential of your new power."

"Very well, Chief."

"Now, summon your rouzer."

"Rouzer?" After asking, my hand glew to a purple color. A second later, the light dissipated and revealed a lance-like object. "What the?"

"It appears that his rouzer is a bludgeon." Tony chimed in.

"That is your rouzer, Kentavious. The rouzer is a rider's best friend. It will be your weapon against the undead from here on out. Now that you have your weapon, it's time to test just how good you are with that weapon."

"What? I don't even know how to use this thing!" I protested.

"Simple kid, your rouzer is like a lance, a spear if you would call it. If you've played enough video games, you should be fine with one." Antawn added.

"Fine."

"Tony, Antawn, I want you to watch over him." They both nodded. "Let's do this."

Chief Stephen went back outside. Tony and Antawn pulled out their own belts and transformed.

"Henshin!" They exclaimed in unison. Their belts shot separate projections forth. However, unlike me, their belt projections remained stationary, meaning they had to manually pass through them. On the other hand, my belt projection automatically approaches me.

"Here we go, good luck, Kentavious." The Chief said over the microphone.

A door on the other side of the room opened. There stood what appeared to be a monster. No, that's an undead! It had a human-frame, same height, same body parts, but its body was modeled after a bee's. Before I had a chance to ponder, the undead suddenly charged at me.


	3. Chapter 3: Leangle Awakens

However, before the undead had a chance to hit me, I rolled out of the way. When I got back on my feet, the undead was already in front of me. It landed a few punches on me, disorienting me temporarily. I quickly got on my feet and looked to retaliate. I tried to land a punch on the undead, but it ducked and punched me instead. Before I had the chance to counter, the undead chained a combo of punches towards me.

I felt my strength slipping away with every punch the undead landed. I tried fighting back, but the undead just dodged my punches and kept landing punches of his own. I was beaten up like how Floyd Mayweather would punish a punching bag. I took hit after hit, after hit, after hit, after hit. I sustained so much damage that my eyes started to grow heavy. The undead continued hitting me with no regard for human life. I felt as if I was going to die in here. I was about to close my eyes and just give in to the darkness, but that's when I heard voices calling out to me.

"COME ON KID! IS THAT HOW THE ULTIMATE MASKED RIDER FIGHTS?!" A voice shouted.

"THINK ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, YOUR LOVED ONES, WHO WILL PROTECT THEM IF YOU'RE NOT AROUND?! YOU WERE CHOSEN FOR THIS KID! IF YOU GIVE UP NOW, THEN EVERYONE YOU LOVE WILL PERISH!" Another voice shouted.

When I heard their words, something inside me clicked. They're right. If I die, then no one would look after my relatives. Not just my relatives, but other powerless people as well. Just then, I had a flashback of the night that unfolded thirteen years ago. I remember that night very well. I just got home from school, so I looked to greet my parents. But when I turned the corner, I saw our house burning. I panicked and immediately ran inside the house. However, before I had a chance to turn the knob, the roof collapsed and took a part of the house along with it.

I tried to look over the fire and the smoke to see if my parents were still inside. I heard numerous screams, screeches and pleas before I confirmed my deepest fears. I kept looking around, trying to look for them. I went around the burning house as I screamed their names to catch their attention. As I reached the part of their bedroom, I stopped dead in my tracks. There they were, trapped inside the burning compound. There was no way out for them. I tried entering the house from its ruins, but it was impossible due to the blockage. I stood there helplessly as I cried their names out. Countless tears cascaded down my face as I watched my parents burn to ashes. They cried, screamed, screeched, pleaded, but in the end, they burned to death.

Since that day, I always hated myself. I always thought that I could've done something to save my parents. If only I could've fit through those spaces and saved them. Even if I didn't save them, I could've died with them if I fit through. However, fate decided that I should live on. But the resentment that I harbored towards myself, never assuaged, until this very moment. I despised myself for being so weak. I despised myself for being so helpless.

A few years later, when I turned seven, my oldest brother died in a car crash. Even more years later, when I was twelve, my older brother died in a local shooting. Up to this day, I carried those losses with me. Every time a relative would die, my hatred towards myself will amplify a million times. I've lost everyone in my family. I lost my parents, I lost my siblings, and even some of my cousins. Every time someone would die, I would always blame myself. I would always think that there was something that I could've done to prevent or atleast delay someone's death.

I vowed to be stronger with every loss that I sustain. With every person I lose, I promised to punish myself to force myself to become much stronger. Here I am, being a hypocrite, as I am being beaten up badly by an undead. Tony and Antawn are right, if I die, then no one would protect those who are precious to me. Suddenly, something inside me clicked. I was fueled with rage, with anger. I remembered the losses that I carry, and let them compel me to become a beast.

"NO! I WON'T LOSE ANYONE ELSE! I WON'T LOSE TO FATE! I WON'T GIVE UP, I WON'T GIVE IN! I WON'T JUST STAND HERE AND WATCH THE CRUEL WORLD TAKE EVERYTHING PRECIOUS TO ME!" I exclaimed in fury.

After that, I rolled forward and landed a punch on the undead. The undead recoiled and stumbled. Hatred, rage, anger, they were all consuming my soul. And I loved every minute of it. I was going through what people call a bloodlust. I faced the undead in a maniacal manner. I eyed it with all the hatred that I've harbored towards myself.

I charged at the recovering undead. I tackled him and chained a combo of kicks, punches and jabs. The undead seemed to weaken with every hit I throw at him. And the fact that I used to take karate lessons, was extremely bad news for him. I kept hitting him everywhere until he stumbled on the ground. When he was down, I stretched out my hand again and summoned my rouzer.

I extended my lance and started to unleash a fury of strikes against the weakened undead. I kept hitting him with my lance, mercilessly punishing him with all my anger. I kept striking and striking and striking and striking to the point where my arms were so tired that they might just fall off. That was when I grew hesitant. Should I continue hitting the undead? Or should I continue punishing it?

I decided to go with the latter. I kept punishing the undead for a few more minutes. When I finally decided to show some mercy, I unleashed my final combo and knocked him down to the ground. The undead tried to get up, but I charged at him and stabbed him in the chest. The undead collapsed on the ground, not moving a muscle. Just when I was about to approach him, an explosion went off on his body. I shielded my self in response. When the explosion cleared up, a disk-like object opened on its waist.

"Well done, Kentavious. You have successfully defeated your first undead. Now, seal him." The Chief said over the microphone.

"Seal? What's that supposed to mean?" I asked as I turned around to look at the observation window.

"See that thing? The one on the right part of your waist?" Tony, as Garren said. "That's your card holder. Since your rouzer doesn't have a built-in card holder, your holder is strapped to your belt on the right part of your waist."

I looked down my waist and saw what he was talking about. But why didn't I notice the thing before? Maybe I was such in a rage that I forgot everything around me but battle. I opened the card holder and saw a deck of cards inside.

"Get one card and throw it to the fallen undead. That should seal him." Antawn, as Blade added.

I pulled out one card and examined it at first. It had the same size as the Spider Change card that I used to transform. However, this card is a blank card. The text written below the blank picture was "Proper Blank". As instructed, I threw the card to the fallen undead. When the card made contact with the undead's body, the undead was engulfed in a green light. As it was surrounded by the green light, the undead appeared to be being sucked in by the card that I just threw. When the whole body of the undead was sucked into the card, the card flew its way back to me. I held out my hand to grab the incoming card.

I took a look at the new card and was amazed. It looked completely different. The size of the card was still the same, of course, but the text and the picture inscribed were totally different. The blank picture was replaced with the picture of a yellow bee with a long, sharp stinger. The text below was also replaced with the words "Stab Bee". And on the edge of the card, was the word "STAB" written. On the upper-left corner of the card, there was a yellow clover symbol, like the one in the Spider Change card. Below the yellow clover, was the number 2.

"Congratulations, Kentavious, you have successfully defeated and sealed your first undead- the Category Two of Clubs, a.k.a. the Bee Undead." The Chief said over the microphone as I continued to eye the card.


	4. Chapter 4: Bittersweet Bitterness

"Great job!" Antawn congratulated as he patted me on the back.

"Hate to admit it, but you've done well." Tony added. After that, Tony and Antawn pulled back some kind of lever on their buckles. When they pulled the lever, both belts revealed Change cards. They both pulled it out from their belts and returned to their human form.

"You might wanna revert to your real form, kid." Antawn said.

I scratched my head embarrassingly. "How do I do that?"

"Simple. You transformed by opening your belt right? You revert by closing it back." Tony answered.

I grabbed the right part of my belt and closed it with the left part. A purple projection(the same one that I passed through when I transformed) was emitted by my belt. The projection passed through me and before I knew it, I was back to being me.

"Kentavious! That was excellent!" Chief said as he approached us.

"Thanks, Chief. I couldn't have done it without their little encouragement earlier." I gestured to Tony and Antawn.

"It seems that the scientists weren't wrong about you. You are a true Masked Rider. Welcome to the team." Antawn said with a smile as he held out his hand. I smiled back and shook it.

"Yeah, I agree. I guess you really are one of us." Tony said as he patted my shoulder.

"Nice to see you gentlemen getting along. The birth of the ultimate rider is complete. Welcome aboard, Masked Rider Leangle!"

"Thanks Chief. One question though-why call me Leangle?"

"I based your name on your weapon. Your weapon is no ordinary lance. Your weapon is a specialized type of bludgeon, exclusive to the ultimate rider."

"Oh, I see."

"However, you cannot be a true Masked Rider without having a bike. Because you are after all, a rider. Follow me."

I was excited. I'm getting a bike?! Oh yeah! This is going to be awesome! Tony and Antawn went off their own ways while I followed the Chief. The Chief led me to a garage. He asked the workers to show me my bike. The workers took off a blanket covering something and I marvelled at the sight.

"Behold, Kentavious, Leangle's bike-the Green Clover."

I stared at the machine as I approached it. It was a normal-sized motorbike, but it was designed like Leangle's suit. It was green in color with a few gold layers. Also, there was a purple clover symbol on the front of the bike. I approached the bike and rested my hand on the seat-cushion. I never even imagined that I would get a bike. I guess that license I got last month is going to have some use.

"Wow...is this for me?"

"Of course it is. You're a Masked Rider now."

"Geez, thanks Chief. I really appreciate it." I said with sincerity. I just met the man a few hours ago and he's already given me a bike. I don't think that even my father would buy me one, regardless of my age. Not only has he given me a motorbike, he has given me a new power as well. Must be my lucky day.

"No problem. Go on, take her out for a ride."

"You serious? Alright! Let me at 'em!"

I went ahead and grabbed the helmet on the bike's handle. Before I mounted the bike however, Chief Stephen gave me his, Tony's and Antawn's contact numbers in case something happens. I gave him mine in return. After that, the garage doors opened, then I sped off with my new bike.

I drove from the border to my current residence. Along the way, I kept marvelling at my new green spedster. The handle was great, the acceleration rate was off the charts, the suspension of the bike was adequate to allow me to drift and the overall speed of the bike is just amazing. Even if I didn't reach top speed with the bike, mainly because I might get arrested for overspeeding, I can already tell that this thing has to be one of the fastest in the city.

A few minutes later, I made it back to my house. I parked my new motorbike inside our unused garage and went on to my room. Before I left for my room however, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic. It has been a long time since a vehicle as ever rested inside our family garage. It feels like yesterday, dad's car was here. Now, my bike is the new king of the hill.

I just smiled to myself and went up to my room. I changed into comfortable clothes and fixed myself some dinner. After eating dinner, cleaning the table, washing the dishes and watching some television, I returned to my room. I plopped down my bed and just stared at the ceiling. A few moments later, I shifted my gaze to my bag. I got up and grabbed my buckle inside the bag. I kept staring at it as if it was the most prized possession in my life.

This is my responsibility. If I am to protect my loved ones, then I have to be a Masked Rider. However, Tony's words kept resonating in my mind. He did make a legitimate point, but still, Antawn and him cheered for me when I was on the verge of losing to the Bee Undead. Was he just joking? Or has he finally accepted that I am indeed destined to become a rider? Maybe it is the latter. Though his words still ring into my ears until this very moment.

Since I was bushed, I decided to sleep. I placed the belt on my drawer and headed to bed. After a tiring day, I closed my eyes and drifted off to a peaceful slumber.

The next day, I went through my normal routine and headed off to school. Before I mounted my bike, my cell phone rang. It appeared that Chief Stephen was calling. I answered the call and placed the phone on my ear.

"Yes, Chief?"

"I just want to let you know that I installed an Undead Searcher application on your cell phone while you were out cold yesterday. The Undead Searcher is an application which of course tracks the undead all through out the city. If it finds an undead in the vicinity, your cell phone will go off as if someone's calling you. It will give off a ringtone and your phone will vibrate."

"Sweet. Thanks for the heads up."

"Alright, good luck out there."

I hung up and went to school. After parking my motorbike, I went straight to the gym and changed into my football gear. Since it was a wednesday, football practice comes first and basketball practice is in the afternoon. I went to the field and ran some sets with my friends.

When our coach arrived, he rounded us up and divided us into two teams. We played a healthy scrimmage afterwards. After the match, I showered up and dressed into my school uniform. On my way to our classroom, I bumped into my best friend.

"Hey Ken!"

"Hey, G! What's up brudda?" I greeted as I gave him a chest hug.

"I'm good homie. Just got done playing football huh? How many interceptions did we get this time?" He asked jokingly.

I chuckled. "Only about five."

At this, he laughed. "Man, you are so full of it."

"I learned from the best." I responded with laughter as well.

We continued walking down the hall to our classroom. When we were in the vicinity of our classroom however, my eyes were greeted with a familiar sight. I tilted my head upwards and saw two despised classmates of mine. It didn't take long for Gino to notice.

"Easy bro. Let it go. We don't want to get in trouble now, do we?" He said lowly.

"I know man. I'm cool. I'm already accustomed to the fact that they're dating. It's been what-six, seven months since that happened. I'm over her. Period." I stated firmly.

"Well, if you're over her, then stop staring at her like you want to pounce on her."

At this, my eyes widened. "What?! Are you serious?! She's Kiel's girl now. She ain't mine. Besides, even if she was my girl, I wouldn't even think about doing that to her." I replied bitterly.

"Whatever man. I still say that you're bitter about what happened."

"Who the hell won't be bitter after what happened? If you were in my place, I'm sure that you would've stranggled her to death already. I did everything man, I did everything I could. Even if it was stupid and foolish, I still fought and stood up for her. But what did she do? She left me for some other guy. I told you already, I've moved on. If you don't want to believe me, then so be it. That's not my problem anymore." I fumed as I walked ahead and left Gino standing there on the hallway.

I always get sensitive when it comes to her. I mean, I loved her with all my heart, and she didn't even bother to look at me. I did everything that I could to make her happy, but all she did was just ignore me as if she was extremely disgusted of me.

You know what? I shouldn't even be thinking about her. I've moved on. Yeah. With that thought in mind, I headed to my desk and went on with my day. The day went by fast. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't jealous of Kiel wrapping his arms around her, of Kiel tickling her, of Kiel eating lunch with her, of Kiel holding her close and everything that Kiel did with her that she used to do with me.

I slapped myself mentally and physically. It's been six months! Let it go! Come on Kentavious! You're a Masked Rider now! Riders aren't weak like you! Man up! I kept repeating that mantra in my head. After repeatedly banging my head against the wall, I finally released the thought out of my system. I returned to normal and just lived on until classes were dismissed.

When I was on my way home, my phone rang. I pulled it out and saw the Undead Searcher going off. I clicked on it and found out that there was an undead nearby. I sped off to the city as soon as I found the undead's location. When I got there, the situation wasn't as bad as I expected. The surroundings were trashed, but only a handful of people have been injured.

I quickly got off my bike and ran towards the undead. When I was a few meters away, I pulled out my belt, inserted the Spider Card and placed the belt on my waist.

"Henshin!" I exclaimed as I opened my belt.

"Open Up!"

After transforming to Leangle, I immediately engaged the undead. The undead's appearance was modeled after a rhinoceros, making him incredibly tough and strong. We exchanged punches and hits, trying to land a good hit on each other. After a few minutes of fighting, he caught me off guard and landed a good hit which sent me flying.

I tried to get on my feet, but before I could do so, the undead charged at me with incredible speed and tackled me away. I struggled to get up after the big hit. The undead got into a charging position once again. He arranged his feet and prepared to tackle me. That was when I remembered what the Chief said. He said that the Rider System allows riders to borrow the powers of the undead through their rouzers.

I summoned my rouzer and opened my card holder. I pulled out the sealed Category Two card that I obtained yesterday. I quickly swiped the card into the card-reader of my rouzer.

"Stab!" The rouzer announced.

The undead lowered its head and charged at me with full speed. When he was about to hit me, my rouzer glew to a blue color, then I stabbed him in the chest. The undead was paralyzed afterwards. After letting out a few groans, the undead slowly fell to the ground and stopped moving. An explosion went off on his body, then his belt opened.

I grabbed a blank card and threw it to the lifeless undead. The undead was slowly sucked in by the card. The card flew back to me afterwards. I caught the card and examined it. It appeared to be the clubs' Category Four, a.k.a. the Rhinoceros Undead.

After that, I reverted back to my human form and went home.


	5. Chapter 5: Possessed?

The next day, I received a message from Tony. I looked at it and it said that he wants to meet me after school. I replied a quick "okay" and headed for school. Not much happened in school today. Actually, today turned out to be one of the most boring days ever. When I was dismissed, I immediately headed to the local park.

A few minutes later, I got there. I met up with Tony and greeted him.

"Hey man! What's up?" I greeted.

"Not much. How you been young man?" He returned.

"I'm cool. So what was it that you wanted to talk about?"

"Follow me."

Tony led me to the nearby cafe. We sat down and ordered some drinks. After ordering, he turned to me and pulled out all his cards. He started placing his cards neatly on the table.

"Whatcha up to?" I asked again.

"Pull out all your sealed cards and I'll tell you."

I obliged and laid out all my cards on the table. After placing all his cards on the table, Tony pulled out another deck of cards. This time, they were normal poker cards. He laid them all out between our set of cards.

"So you're using the Category Ace of the diamond suit?"

"Yes, I am the rider who was given the Diamond Suit."

"Wow, you've sealed a lot more undead than I have." I said as I looked over his cards. He seemed to have already sealed six undeads.

"That's because I've been a rider for a longer time than you have. Don't worry, you'll be strong enough one day. However, I don't want you to think that this is some card game and that whoever seals the most undead is the victor. Don't let your greed and pride get the best of you, got it?"

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Now the reason I called you here today, is to discuss the power of the undead that we obtaining. Listen..."

We discussed the matter for over a period of time. To sum it up, he basically taught me the fundamentals about using the rouze cards. He told me that I shouldn't just use any random card, for that may be disasterous. He also told me to be shrewd and adaptable. Meaning that I should use the proper cards for the proper situation.

After that conversation, we switched the topic to training. He told me that I should sharpen my skills further to make me a lethal threat against the undead. He even offered to train me. With all due respect, I accepted his offer. When that was done, we headed out and he led me to his training facility.

Through out the whole night, Tony helped me expand my array of skills. It was already 1:00 in the morning the next day when we finished training. I was bushed! I went through basketball and football practice, then I went through Masked Rider practice! After training, Tony said that he was proud of me and that I was doing very well already. He gave me a pat on the shoulder and sped off.

I sped off on my own and returned home. After parking my vehicle, I went straight to bed and passed out.

Morning came. I only had about five hours of sleep. I got up at 6:00 AM and started practicing for basketball. I finished at 7:30, then I ate, showered, dressed and went to school. Nothing much happened...yet again. It was only until lunch time when something startling happened.

I was walking down the cafeteria, then I saw all my extremely closEST friends on one table. On the table, were Gino and Vincent(my two best friends), Angelica and Andrea(my two close friends/Gino's and Vincent's girlfriends respectively), and of course, Kiel and my...supposed-to-be girlfriend.

They seem to be having a good time. Jealousy raged within me. That used to be ME! I used to be in Kiel's place! Kiel's with the girl whom I fell in love with and fell out of love with. I used to be there! THAT SHOULD BE ME! I clenched my fists and just went to the gym.

I kinda developed the habit of playing sports whenever I am angry/sad/depressed/annoyed. Sports is the reason why I was able to cope with the losses that I sustained. If it weren't for sports, then I may be dead right now. I started dunking on the basketball rim like I was in a dunk contest. I kept throwing the ball down so hard, that my wrists were starting to hurt with all the slams that I kept doing.

Through out my raging session, I felt an invigorating emotion in the pit of my chest. Without a doubt, I knew that it was anger. Anger that I kept bottled up for so long. Anger that's begging to be unleashed to the world. Anger that I always tried to hide, but could no longer do so. I was such in a rage that somehow, I felt like fighting. Whether it was against an undead, or an old enemy, I just felt the sudden urge to go on a rampage.

At one point, after practicing on my own, I punched the nearby wall and created a huge crack. I don't know what the hell is happening to me. I've been jealous before, of Kiel and her going out together, but I've never felt anything like this. I felt as if I wanted to rip someone to shreds...literally. Something tells me that this isn't my jealousy towards Kiel alone...it's something else. Something very powerful. Something...something dormant that has been roused within me.

As I was pondering on the thought, my head became fuzzy with anger. My mind was being completely consumed by hatred, by resentment, by fury. I wanted to alleviate my pain and to just find an outlet where I can simply release all my sudden frustration. My rage spawned out of nowhere. I wasn't angry before I even felt this. I was jealous, but jealousy was never strong enough to send my whole system into haywire.

I continued with my day as I tried to ignore the raging beast within me. I admit, it was quite a challenge. There were times when I just wanted to give in to my anger and let it control me. For some reason, my anger did not dissipate. It never did, not even for a bit. What could've possibly triggered this fighting impulse within me? I wonder...

But nonetheless, the bloodlust rages on. And I have no idea of how long I can continue to suppress these feelings.

**Tony's P.O.V.**

"Hello?"

"Tony, it's Chief Stephen."

"What's up, Chief?"

"We need to talk, now. Come to my office, I have something to tell you."

"Roger, on my way."

I hung up, mounted my bike and sped off to headquarters. I've been thinking a lot lately. I've been thinking about what present should I give my girlfriend, since our anniversary's just around the corner. I wonder what she'll like this time. If I remember correctly, the last time I gave her a present, she didn't like it and threw it away. Tsk. I really have to step my game up.

Another thing that worries me is Antawn. The guy is stressed, stressed to the point where he hasn't been sleeping for three days already! He keeps claiming that he's looking out for undead. He said that the last time he fought an undead was over a week ago. I told him that the Undead Searcher would tidy things for him, but he still insisted. At this rate, I'll be the only rider who'll have the energy to fend off the undead once they spawn.

No, that's not right. I forgot, there is another rider. Speaking of another rider, Kentavious has been doing great lately. Since Chief Stephen handed him his buckle, he hasn't missed a beat. He fits in perfectly with us, especially his style of combat. The kid has tremendous potential in him. He can be a great warrior if he keeps his head straight.

My train of thought was interrupted as my phone went off. It seems that the Undead Searcher has found a nearby undead. I phoned Chief Stephen and told him that I would go take care of the undead first. When I took another look at my phone, the searcher gave out two signals. One undead signal and one rider signal. It appears that Leangle has already engaged the undead. I guess this'll be a good time to see just how much he improved.

When I arrived at the scenario, I saw Leangle exchanging hits with the undead. From the looks of things, he's getting his butt whooped by his opponent. I quickly hoped off my bike and pulled out my belt. I inserted my card on the belt and placed it on my waist. Once the belt's strap surrounded my waist, I transformed.

"Henshin!" I shouted as I pulled back the handle of my belt.

"Turn Up!" The belt announced as I ran through the projection.

Just as I transformed to Garren, Leangle took a big hit and was sent flying away.

"Kentavious!" I exclaimed in concern.

I rushed and engaged the undead. I landed a few punches, but when the undead parried one of my attacks, he kicked me in the gut and punched me hard. I was sent flying by the undead. I recoiled to a particular distance and got up. This is one tough undead right here. When I prepared to charge at the undead once again, I saw Leangle struggling to get up in the corner of my eye. It was as if he was about to pass out. He must've taken one hell of a hit.

Just as I was about to rush to his aid, something unusual happened. Leangle suddenly got on his feet and started screaming wildly. I knew Kentavious' voice, and I can tell, that the person screaming is NOT him. It can't be anyone else though. Kentavious is the only person in the WORLD who is qualified to use Leangle's belt. Who could it be though? From the sound of it, it's as if the person screaming was not even human. It was an animalistic type of scream, inhumane, heartless, cold and even terrifying to some extent.

Leangle kept screaming in anger. He kept screaming to the point where I thought that it wasn't even he who was screaming. After a moment, Leangle faced the undead, twirled his lance and charged at the undead. The undead tried to parry his attacks, but to no avail. Leangle kept striking the undead, like how a tormentor would punish a prisoner. Leangle kept bashing, punching, kicking, stabbing and completely destroying the undead.

It's hard to believe that a few minutes ago, Leangle was getting his butt kicked by the undead. It seemed like just a minute ago, he didn't stand a chance against the undead. Now, he's completely man-handling the opposition. However, there was something wrong in the scenario. Why is Leangle fighting like that? He's fighting like he's a cold-blooded killer.

I have trained with Kentavious and I can definitely tell, that his style of fighting, is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from what I'm seeing right now. He might've changed his fighting style, but not to this extent. He is no longer fighting like a rider. He is fighting like an undead. Knowing Kentavious, I know that he would NEVER do such a thing. He is very merciful, but he has shown no trace of such since he let out his wild screams.

He is fighting like a wild animal. It's very difficult to even imagine the fact that he's a rider. He doesn't fight humanely. I know that we riders should not show mercy to the undead, but not like this. Not to the point where the undead is on his knees and completely defenseless.

Leangle kept hitting the undead. The undead was in a state of haziness. The undead could do nothing but to endure all the punishing hits that Leangle kept giving him. This bloodlust has to stop. Before I could reach Leangle however, I heard him screaming something.

"FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! YOU ARE THE STRONGEST, YOU ARE THE MOST POWERFUL! SHOW ME YOUR STRENGTH!" Leangle exclaimed in total anger.

It daunted on me that he wasn't talking to the undead. He was talking to himself. But like earlier, it wasn't his voice that I heard. It was an animal's voice, a monster's voice. What's happening to him?

"Kentavious, stop this madness! This is not how we fight!" I chided as I tried to restrain him.

"DO NOT INTERFERE!" He replied maniacally. He broke out of my hold and stabbed me with his rouzer.

I got knocked down on the ground. I got up and grew tense. Something's happened to him, I am sure of it. Kentavious doesn't act like that. I don't care if I don't know him that much, but I know that he's not an animal like this.

I rushed to him and tried to restrain him once again. "Stop it, Kentavious! It's me, Tony! Snap out of it! Snap out of your rage!"

"I SAID, DO NOT INTERFERE!" He replied again and this time, he chained a number of stabs and swings at me using his rouzer.

I was knocked down on my butt once again. After he knocked me down, he turned to the undead and pulled out two cards.

"Rush. Stab." His rouzer announced as he swiped the cards into the card-reader.

After absorbing the power of the undead, Leangle rushed with superhuman speed and stabbed his opponent in a quick stroke. The undead groaned and fell to the ground. An explosion went off on the fallen undead's body, symbolizing his defeat. Leangle opened his card-holder and threw a card on the undead. The undead was absorbed into the card, then the card flew back to Leangle's hand. It seems that he has sealed the Category Five of Clubs, also known as the Cobra Undead.

I slowly made my way to him.

"That was some fighting, but that's not how we riders fight. What's the matter with you?" I asked as I approached him.

Leangle turned to me, then charged at me. He kept attacking me, as if I was an undead and he was trying to seal me.

"DO NOT GET IN MY WAY, YOU PUNY SCUM!" He exclaimed maniacally once again.

"What's wrong with you, Ken? WAKE UP! SNAP OUT OF IT! IT'S ME, TONY!" I called as I struggled with him.

"SHUT UP, HUMAN!"

I kicked him and created separation. I pulled out my rouzer and started shooting him rapidly. After taking some bullets, he stood groggily and tried to attack me once again. I have no choice. I'm sorry, Kentavious.

I pulled out my rouzer's built-in card-holder. I pulled out three cards and swiped them in the card-reader.

"Drop. Fire. Gemini. Burning Divide." My rouzer announced.

I went up in the air and back-flipped into a drop kick. I landed the kick directly on Leangle's body. Leangle was sent flying. His energy was drained so much that he was forced to revert back to his human form. It appeared to be Kentavious all along. But like I said, that was NOT him. I know who he is, even atleast a gist of who he is. He is nothing like how he fought earlier.

I reverted back to my human form and carried him to my bike. I have to tell Chief Stephen about this. Who knows, maybe he has the answer as to why Kentavious went crazy. After mounting the unconscious Kentavious on my bike, I got on my bike myself and sped off to headquarters.


	6. Chapter 6: Reality Discerned

**Tony's P.O.V.**

"Chief, Chief!" I exclaimed as I barged in his office.

"Why?" The Chief asked as he stood up from his seat with a worried look. Once he shifted his gaze to the body slumped on my shoulder, his eyes widened even more. "What happened?" He asked in total concern as he approached the unconscious Kentavious.

"Long story, but I'll tell you after I find a place to lay this guy down on."

"Here, put him down on my couch."

Chief Stephen helped me lay Kentavious down on his black couch. Once we got Ken to a comfortable position, the Chief and I sat down on the nearby coffee table and started talking about the events that unfolded a few hours prior.

I tried to retell everything that happened- from me thinking about what to get my girlfriend for our anniversary to Kentavious' outrageous bloodlust as accurately as I could. As I further explained Kentavious' behavior, the Chief's eyebrows kept furrowing. I told him everything that I observed from his battle with the Cobra Undead. After I spoke, the Chief took a deep sigh and casted his eyes downwards.

"What is it, Chief?" I asked curiously/worriedly.

"I called you earlier and I told you that I had something to tell you, remember?"

"Yeah. I was on my way, but like I said, my searcher went off and I just had to see how Kentavious was doing."

"This is what I was going to tell you about."

"What do you mean? So you knew that this was going to happen?" I asked confusingly.

"Yes. Earlier today, I browsed the results of the diagnostics that our scientists ran on Kentavious when we were checking his compatibility rating with the Category Ace of Clubs. As we all know, Kentavious is the only person in the world who is compatible with the Ace of Clubs. I checked his fusion rating with the Category Ace while he was unconscious, and it turned out to be perfect. However, as I was about to close the folder of the reports, I came across another diagnostic result. The diagnostic result that I am talking about, is the diagnostic result while he was battling the Category Two of Clubs in the training area. I checked it and was stunned. His fusion rating with the undead during combat, turned out to be five times the average fusion rating to be able to fuse with the Category Ace. His fusion rating while he was unconscious was at a stable 500 EH. But his fusion rating during combat, was at an unbelievable 2500 EH."

"What?!" I asked in disbelief. 2500 EH? Seriously? "Are you serious? That is UNHEARD of! I don't think that such a thing is even possible!"

"I know. That's what I thought too. But Kentavious...he is special. The highest possible fusion rating with the Category Ace Undead alone is 1500 EH. No one else has gone beyond that point. Until Kentavious came along and stole the show. He has surpassed that supposed highest level by a thousand EH. Unbelievable!"

"What do you mean with the Category Ace Undead 'alone'?"

"According to research, the Ace Undeads aren't the only undeads that humans can fuse with. However, what those other undeads are, we do not know yet."

"I see, but that doesn't explain why Kentavious went H.A.M. earlier."

"Simple. His fusion rating with the Ace Undead is so high, that it totally surpassed the limits of the Rider System. The Rider System was designed to indirectly fuse humans with undeads to combine their powers. However, due to Kentavious' abnormally high fusion rating, his body has somehow completely fused with the undead. The Rider System only fuses undead DNA and human DNA to a limited extent, that's why you become Masked Riders instead of real undeads. With Kentavious however, the case is completely different. Like I said, he physically remains human, but his heart and his mind is one with the undead. That is why he went haywire earlier. Undead were meant to fight, that is why he kept fighting earlier."

I can't believe what I just heard. That kid Kentavious has gotten in a very dangerous foxhole. "So what do we do about him? If this happens again, I may have to completely knock him out."

"We simply wait."

"Wait? What if something goes down and we're left with no choice?"

"You worry too much, Tony. Stay calm. Kentavious is a rider. He has a strong will and a strong heart. His fusion rating just happens to be so high that he could not overpower his own self. We just have to observe. Keep a close eye on him. And whatever you do, make sure that he doesn't get angry. Anger triggers his undead nature, got it?"

**Kentavious' P.O.V.**

I woke up in a large room. When my eyes adjusted to the surroundings, I found out that I was in Chief Stephen's office. I got up and immediately searched for them. What am I doing here? More importantly, how did I get here? I went outside and started my search. I didn't have to look very far, for I bumped into the Chief after taking a few steps forward.

"Hey Chief!" I greeted.

"Nice to see you alive and kicking." He greeted back with a smile.

"Hey there Tony!"

"Yeah, you too."

"So...anyone mind telling me why I'm here?"

"You lost consciousness after your fight with the undead. I decided to bring you here to let our scientists examine you. You seem to be fine, bottomline." Tony answered.

I recalled the events that took place earlier. Yeah, I was fighting with the undead, but I don't remember anything else after that. The last thing I remember was that I got knocked out by the Cobra Undead with one big hit. After that, I blacked out. I don't remember anything beyond that.

"Yeah, I remember. Sorry about letting you bring me here, Tony."

"Nah, it's okay. What's important is that you're okay."

I looked down my watch and flipped. "Oh man! It's already 5:00 PM! I gotta go, I still have to prepare for a quiz tomorrow. Chief, Tony, I guess I'll be seeing you guys around. By the way, thanks for the help again."

"Yeah, no prob, careful out there."

"Until the next time, Kentavious."

I went outside and found my bike. That's funny. How did Tony bring my bike back? Nah, I won't worry about it. I'll just be thankful that it's here. I mounted my bike and returned to my place.

When I got to bed, I kept thinking about what happened earlier. What exactly happened after I took that big hit from the Cobra Undead? Why did I wake up in Chief Stephen's office? I'm sure that there is some other purpose behind what Tony did when he saved me. It's not just a simple check-up. But whatever that is, I guess I'll have to wait to find out.

I turned off the lamp and drifted off to sleep.

The next day was another typical school day. Like yesterday, I felt a pang of anger and fury within me for no specific reason. I was really going crazy. I need some help, fast. After school, I looked to see a doctor, but before I could mount my bike, I saw Tony approaching me.

"Hey Tony! Whatcha doin' here?"

"Just hanging out. I thought that you've been on a tear lately, so I decided to come over and hang out with you."

Since I have no idea what was happening to my own body, I decided to shut up and hide it from Tony at the moment. I smiled a fake smile at him. "Sure, if that's what you want."

Tony and I drove to the local coffee shop. We ordered some coffee and stayed on a spot overlooking the ocean. When our drinks arrived, we engaged in light-hearted conversations. Our topic shifted from subject to subject. We had a few laughs and smiles at our personal memories. Not only did I have fun, but I learned a lot about Tony.

"I guess we both have something in common." I commented on the loss of his parents.

"Actually, even Antawn lost his parents at an early age. That is the one thing that we riders have in common. We were abandoned and forced to fend for ourselves at tender ages."

"Yeah, I guess. Although sometimes I personally wish that my parents were still alive. Somehow, I wish that they could see all the things that I've been doing or that I've done ever since I was born. It's not that I haven't accepted the fact that they're not coming back, it's just that sometimes I wish that I had a normal life."

"Yeah, I feel you. Do you regret it though?"

"Regret what?"

"Growing up without your parents."

"Absolutely not. Growing up without them made me reach manhood a lot earlier than I ever imagined. I became extremely independent and firm because of their absence. Even if they didn't witness my growth, they are the main reason as to why I became a man. How about you?"

"I could say the same for myself. Not only did I learn how to stand by my own legs, but I also learned a number of life lessons."

"Life lessons? Really? Like what?"

"Like the simple fact that life goes on, with or without you. It doesn't matter whether you accept the death of a loved one or not, if you accept the loss of an important person in your life or not- time will continue to march forward. Another thing that I learned is that there are ups and downs in life. I always looked at life as a heartbeat-sensor; it goes up and down if a person is still alive while it goes in a straight line if a person is dead. Our struggles are what make us who we are, are what make us humans. We are humans, because we experience good things and bad."

Those two things that Tony mentioned were definitely true. I never thought that someone like Tony would conjure profound thoughts like the ones that he shared with me. It seems that Tony isn't just your average human. He uses his heart and more importantly, his brain. Now I realized just exactly how fortunate I am to have a mentor like him. We've been through the same things, meaning he knows how to deal with some things that I will surely encounter. That gives me an advantage to prepare for what lies ahead of me in life.

"Oh and Kentavious,"

"Hmm?"

"About what you said earlier...please, be careful. You know, that thing with your girl?"

"She's not my girl. And of course, I will be careful."

"A broken heart changes people, Kentavious. Don't let your heartbreak turn you into someone you never imagined you would turn out to be."

I sighed. I think that it's a little too late for that... "It's just so difficult, ya know?"

"I know. I've been there too. It's indeed very very challenging, but if you get over it, it is extremely rewarding."

"I've moved on, I know it! I've accepted my loss, I'm sure of it! It's just that the words that she said still ring clearly in my head. She said that she wanted me, not him. At the end of the day, she's with him and I'm all alone. She promised me that she would be totally honest with me. But no, she lied to me. She lied to me and left me alone to deal with everything on my own."

"Promises are just words, Ken. Always remember that. It doesn't matter who gives you a certain promise; at the end of the day, it will most likely be broken. Why? Because like I said, they are merely words. Promises are merely a compilation of words taken out of the dictionary. It won't mean a thing unless someone decides to take action. In your case, no one did. I'm sorry. I know that it hurts, but you just have to forget about it."

"How can I forget about something that I never understood?"

"Some things aren't meant to be understood; they're meant to be accepted."

"Some things are better left unsaid, huh?"

"Yeah, that would be another way of looking at it. Do you want to break free from this pain?"

"Yeah, like hell I do."

"Then accept it, walk away and just move forward. Accept that you were never meant to be with her and that Kiel is the one for her. Walk away from her, because the role that you play in her life is over. Move forward, because you can't remain stagnant in life, for life goes on, with or without you."

Tony gave me the advice that I've been dying to hear for months. I always asked everyone around me on what to do and everyone said that he had no idea. Tony on the other hand, just met me a few days ago and already gave me what I wanted to hear.

"Thanks, Tony. I really appreciate you helping me out."

"It's no problem."

"A favor though?"

"Sure."

"What was I doing in Chief Stephen's office yesterday?"

He sighed. "You see..."

Tony explained everything to me. After his explanation, my eyes widened in utter disbelief. My fusion rating is that high?! What is up with me? No wonder I blacked out and turned into a raging animal yesterday. The undead took over me, that's why I couldn't remember anything.

"Did the Chief allow you to tell me what you just said?"

"Yeah. He told me that I should decide on whether I should tell you or not. Obviously, I told you. Besides, even if he didn't permit me, it would be useless since you already know."

"You got a point. But hey, so what am I supposed to do? How can I suppress my undead instincts?"

"By simply remaining calm. Try to not harbor feelings of hatred/anger/resentment, for one of those emotions will trigger your undead nature. Thus increasing the likelihood of you going berserk again."

"Understood. I guess I have to lie low for now."

"Precisely."

"Well, it's getting late, I have to prep up for tomorrow's game. Thanks for your time. See ya around, Ton'."

"Yeah, see ya."

I carried everything that Tony told me to the following day. I remembered all his advice, all his proverbs and all his tips. I gradually applied everything that I learned from him during our conversation on the coffee shop. The following day turned out to be one of the best days in a long time, for me. I was extremely cheerful(which I don't remember the last time I've been), very carefree and just absolutely happy. I was always smiling and joking and laughing and all that.

My classmates took notice of my sudden behavioral shift. From months ago until yesterday, I was gloomy, introvertial, depressed, emotional, silent and aloof. Today, I was the exact opposite of who I was! Everyone asked me if I was okay and told me that they weren't used to seeing me in such a cheerful state. I told them that I decided to move forward with my life. They all said that they were happy for me and went on to hang out with me like we used to before the tragedy.

I started doing things like I used to, especially when it comes to sports . We had a football game today. I was playing as the starting cornerback and starting running back for my team. I felt really good on the football field, something that I haven't felt since then. Like when I got an interception and returned it for a 108-yard touchdown, I absolutely flipped. I haven't done that in a long time and my career-best was just 56-yards in terms of interception touchdowns. Not only that, but I also had a monster rushing-game. I set a new career-high with a 99-yard touchdown run on the first possession. I felt as if I was reborn into someone new. I never had a game this great in my life! I finished the game with 201 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns, 167 interception return-yards, 2 interceptions and a defensive touchdown.

I was really hyped after the game. I celebrated with my teammates on our big W. We even went outside and grabbed some pizza. We ate, chattered and just enjoyed each other's company. It was amazing. Tony was right about everything. The whole time, I was inwardly thanking Tony for everything that he told me. If he hadn't said those things to me, I would've been totally different. I would've locked myself up in my room instead of celebrating with my teammates right now if that was the case.

As for Kiel and her, I even smiled at them as I walked down the hallway. I know that I have moved on. I know that I've gotten over her. It's just that I keep locking myself up by constantly thinking about what could've been. Now that I've accepted everything, it feels freakingly good to be back!

Now that I have conquered those, only one thing remains. That night, when I went to sleep, I had a dream. No, I had a nightmare. It was a flashback of what exactly happened during the night when my parents died. I tried to save them, but I couldn't. They died right before my very eyes.

I shot straight up in bed and kept panting. When I realized that it was just a nightmare, I sighed and sat against the headrest of my bed. What was that about? I've never had a nightmare about them since a decade ago. I just closed my eyes, sighed and went back to sleep. In the back of my mind, I was scared. I was really scared. I haven't felt this fear since I was a little boy. Why am I feeling this fear, still remains to be seen.


	7. Chapter 7: The Mysterious Rider

**Kentavious' P.O.V.**

Weeks passed. My life has gotten a lot better since that day I talked with Tony. I was back on track with my personal life. And honestly, I never thought that I would ever return to this state of mind that I am currently in.

Everyday since my chat with Tony, I remembered his advice. I would even recite all the things I learned from him every morning before going to school. Thus, life has smoothened down to a bearable rate. I was feeling great! I was doing great academically, I was having a great football and basketball season, I started making more friends and making more jokes around them and of course, I've finally had the guts to face Kiel and her together. I've come to terms with it and I have decided to just let her go and live on. Also, there were no undead appearing for the last few weeks, which makes me think that Antawn and Tony have already sealed all of them!

Life was going so well...however...one little or rather major thing bothers me. Since I talked with Tony, I kept having recurring nightmares about the death of my parents. Every other night, I would always have the same nightmare over and over again. I reached the point where I couldn't take it anymore, that I decided to call Tony and talk to him about it.

So I did exactly that. One morning,I called Tony and told him to meet up with me after school. When classes were dismissed, I went on and headed to the coffee shop to meet him. I sat down across him and told him about the nightmare that I had last night.

"So you've finally gotten over the girl? That's great! What bothers you this time though?"

I sighed before speaking. "I had a nightmare last night."

"A nightmare? About what?"

"About the death of my parents."

Silence passed. I casted my eyes downwards while Tony stared blankly at the table.

"I don't know why. I haven't dreamt about them since ten years ago. Last night, the nightmare just came out of nowhere." I added.

Tony remained silent. He stayed quiet for so long that I had to look up at him to check if he was still awake. He looked distant. That was when it daunted on me that he was remembering something. Maybe he experienced what I also experienced last night. Well I'm glad if that's the case, since that's the main reason why I went to Tony instead of anyone else.

"When I first became a rider, I struggled, like you. I also had a mentor back then. I had someone who guided me to the right path in becoming a true Masked Rider. Sad to say that my mentor already died from an undead attack a few months ago. He gave me all sorts of advice, concerning all the problems that I was facing. I took in all of his words and applied them in my life, like what you've done. But still, there were some problems that no matter how hard I try to fix, they always seem to remain present. Like you, I also had nightmares about the death of my parents. Since then, I grew scared, terrified. And I thought that there was no way that I could ever get through that challenge. But I looked at the bright side. You should too. You've gotten over your girl, over your emotional constipation and if what you say is true,that you are emotionally weak, then there's no doubt that you can handle this. Just keep believing in yourself. Everytime you would have a nightmare about your parents, just stay calm and don't think about it. You've done it with Kiel and her, you can do it with your nightmares too. Trust me."

As usual, he's right. Why didn't I think of that before? Maybe because I was too scared? Probably. "I am glad to have talked to you, Tony. I really don't know what to do. I'm grateful that you're helping me."

"It's no problem, like I said. And oh, how are you? Has your undead nature been taking over you lately?"

"Oh no. I'm fine. I've been doing a great job in suppressing my undead instincts."

"Great job! It seems that you've learned how to control your temper."

"For sure. Couldn't have done it without you."

"Nah, it's all yours."

"Hey! You know what? I've been beasting on the football field and on the basketball court lately!"

"Really? Tell me about it."

"Sure! You see..."

We chattered about my life for the next few hours. When it got late, we went our separate ways and sped off. I am really thankful and grateful that I was given a chance to meet someone like Tony. If it weren't for him, man, I would be a lost puppy right now. Because of him, I have learned to suppress my undead instincts and to become a much better person.

Now if I could just get rid of those nightmares...Nah, like Tony said, I can do this. So I shall.

**Antawn's P.O.V.**

Undead these days have lain low. I mean, the last time my Undead Searcher went off was a good three weeks ago. I wonder what's happening out there. But anyways, it's not like I don't enjoy the day-off.

These past few weeks have been really refreshing. I guess I should do this more often. I get so caught up in fighting the undead that I forget to take a break. During the past three weeks, I've done all sorts of things. I've cleaned my house, I've restocked my groceries, I've played sports and I was able to spend some time with my significant other.

Times like these are what make me forget that I am a rider. Speaking of rider, I wonder how little Kentavious is doing. I sure hope that he's doing well after that bloodlust that Tony's been talking about. That kid has a ton of potential in him. If he gets his head right, he might turn out to be the best among the three of us riders.

As I was about to head outside to take a walk, my phone went off. I checked it and the Undead Searcher gave out an undead signal. About time that you track an undead. I scuttled to my bike and sped off to the city.

When I got to the place, things weren't looking as bad as I thought. I got off my bike and pulled out my belt. I inserted my card and waited for the belt to surround my waist. When it finally did, my belt gave out a sound. I pulled back the handle of my belt and exclaimed.

"Henshin!"

"Turn Up!" The belt announced as I ran through the projection.

I immediately engaged the undead. It was a really tough opponent. It was lightning quick, crazy strong and super fast. This undead doesn't hit like any normal undead out there. This undead's hit power is much stronger than the others. I can feel my strength rapidly evaporating every time I get hit.

As I struggled to get on my feet, the undead let out a weird scream and launched a blue fireball-like projection towards me. When it hit me, I was sent flying away. My strength was rapidly deteriorating. I need help...fast.

As soon as I mentally said that, someone else joined the battle. Another person, clad in a rider-like suit engaged the undead. For a second there, I wondered if he was one of us. But I've never seen a rider that looks like that. He landed a few hits, but was also sent flying by one of the undead's blue projections. I decided to take advantage of the moment.

I pulled out my built-in card-holder and grabbed three cards.

"Kick. Thunder. Mach. Lightning Sonic." The rouzer announced.

I absorbed all three powers. When I was ready, I dashed forward, jumped up, rolled in midair and stretched out my right leg for a kick. When the sole of my foot made contact with the undead, it flew away and collapsed on the ground. An explosion went off on its body afterwards. I pulled out a blank card and threw it at the fallen monster. After the body was absorbed into the card that I threw, it flew back to me. I examined it and smirked in victory. I just sealed the Queen of Spades! No wonder that undead was so powerful.

I stashed the card in my holder and faced the rider that helped me. I approached him and touched his shoulder.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked.

The mysterious figure shoved my hand away and swung his bow-like weapon at me. It hurt like hell as I was sent back a few feet.

"What's the matter with you?!" I exclaimed. "Who are you? Are you a rider?"

The figure did not reply and charged at me. I parried his incoming attack and tried to retaliate. We continued with our duel for a while. While we were fighting, I kept wondering if he was a rider.

"Are you one of us? Are you a rider? Answer me!" I demanded as I blocked his attack.

He did not reply. He just kept striking me down. Overtime, I was completely drained. Constant parrying and attacking will do that to anyone, even for a rider like myself. However, for some reason, my opponent seems unfazed by all his swinging.

"Stop this, whoever you are! Are you a Masked Rider?! We can team-up against the undead if that's the case! We can help each other rid the world of all the undead! Just stop this and I'll help you!"

"I don't need your help!" The figure replied as he continued to attack me.

We continued with our duel. I have to admit; this guy is incredibly skilled. He's not just any ordinary fighter. I can tell from a distance that he is a very experienced warrior. But what could he be? I'm sure that he's a rider since he tried to help me against the undead. Or did I just misunderstand him?

I was broken from my thoughts as he chained a combo of strikes and knocked me down. As I tried to get on my feet, he grabbed a portion of his belt and attached it to his bow. He opened his card-holder and pulled out two cards.

"Drill. Tornado. Spinning Attack." His rouzer announced.

I quickly opened my card-holder and pulled out two cards of my own.

"Slash. Thunder. Lightning Slash." My rouzer announced.

As he sped towards me in a drill-kick position, I absorbed the powers of the Lizard and Deer Undeads. Once I was successful, I concentrated all of the newly-acquired power onto my rouzer. My rouzer gave off a blue-color and was engulfed in lightning. Once he was in-range, I swung my blade at him.

My rouzer and his foot clashed. The energy created was so massive that we were both sent flying away. Since my energy was severely drained, I was forced to revert to my human form. I struggled to get up. My body was ACHING. I kept hissing and grimacing, trying to soothe my throbbing body.

After a few minutes of cursing and panting, I got up and returned to B.O.A.R.D. headquarters. I need some answers. I think that Chief Stephen has everything that I need, considering that he overlooks every movement of all riders. I have to find out if that guy from earlier is a fellow rider.

When I got to hq, I parked my bike and stormed inside the building. I immediately looked for the Chief and ignored everyone else who was staring awkwardly at my bruised body. I barged into his office and immediately took a seat on his couch.

"Nice to see you too, Antawn. You don't look too good." The Chief greeted.

I sighed and closed my eyes before replying. "You wouldn't be too, if you got your butt whooped by a high-level undead and another rider."

The last part seemed to catch his attention, for he froze and stared at me in horror. "Another...rider? What do you mean?"

"I'm not talking about Tony or Kentavious. I'm talking about another Masked Rider." Chief Stephen's eyes grew wider and he seemed to get more nervous. I looked at him suspiciously. "Is there something you want to tell me, Chief? Is there another rider apart from the three of us?"

The Chief remained silent and frozen. If there's one thing that I hate the most, it's getting the silent treatment from someone you so desperately want to get an answer from. I can't take this thing anymore. I stood from my seat and faced him directly. I repeated my question in a more firm and louder tone.

"Answer me! Is there another Masked Rider?!"

The Chief just walked to his window and stared off to the distance. I was about to shout at him again, but he finally replied. "Yes, there is another rider apart from you three."

"I thought so. So what the hell are you playing at? Is this some kind of joke?! I just got attacked by a rogue rider. May I remind you that it is very dangerous to have someone loiter with that kind of power!" I argued as I stood to face him again.

"I know, Antawn. Calm down. He is a rider, but he is not one of us. Well...he used to be."

This somehow calmed me down. "Used to be? What do you mean?"

He sighed and turned to me. "A full box of cards is composed of 53 cards. Each of those cards, apart from the Joker, belong to a certain suit. There are four suits, correct? Those are the Spade, Diamond, Heart and Club suits. Each suit has a corresponding Category Ace card, which is used to transform humans into riders. You use the Spade Ace, Tony uses the Diamond Ace and Kentavious uses the Club Ace. So who uses the Heart Ace? Is that your question?"

"Precisely."

"The user of the Heart Ace, is ex-B.O.A.R.D. member, Johnny Tiberius. Johnny, like you and Tony, used to be a researcher for B.O.A.R.D.. When the undead were unsealed, Director Ross and I decided to make the Rider System a reality. The only Ace Undead that we have sealed that time was the Heart's Ace. Since Johnny has a great background on fighting and hand-to-hand combat, we decided to make him the very first Masked Rider. We created the first rider belt and fashioned it exclusively for him. However, the belt was no ordinary belt. Like Kentavious, Johnny's fusion rating was incredibly high at 1500 EH. Also, Johnny has the unique ability of mimicking the appearance, traits and abilities of other undead with deadly accuracy. So we made a belt that was designed to emulate ALL types of undead DNA. His belt is capable of fusing Johnny himself with any other undead. Thus, making him a deadly warrior."

"Why did he fight me then?"

"Let me finish. When he became a rider, Director Ross decided to get evil. Since Johnny was already married, his attention was divided between his wife and his duty. There even reached a point where Johnny was needed to fight an undead but couldn't do so because of his wife's protests. Director Ross ordered his men to kill Johnny's wife. He was unsuccessful, for Johnny's wife made it out alive but sustained a lot of injuries. When Johnny found out that it was Ross' doing, he went berserk. He almost killed Ross, but Ross and his men fled. No one has heard from them since then. From there onwards, Johnny ran away with the belt that we developed and stood against our organization. That is another reason why yours, Tony's and Kentavious' belts are different. We don't want to give you guys too much power, unlike what we did with Johnny. For you might turn against us."

"Doesn't that violate your act of giving someone as young as Kentavious the power of the ultimate undead?" I asked.

"It does, somehow. However, I am talking about shifting into the form of the undead. Even Kentavious does not have that ability."

"I understand. So Johnny knows about us riders?"

"Yes, because like I said, he used to be a researcher."

Everything cleared up that moment. Although this makes me weary of Chief Stephen. He's been hiding this thing for like what, months? I doubt that this is the only secret that he's hiding from us. I have to watch my back around these guys, especially him. Who would've thought that the very organization that strives to save humanity did something so inhumane?

"We have no inkling regarding his motives. I suggest you stay away from Chalice for now."

"Chalice?"

"The name of the Mantis Undead/Heart Ace."

"Got it."

I am very curious about this man Johnny. I wonder, what really happened to him? I'm sure that it's more than just Director Ross. If it was solely about Ross, then he wouldn't have attacked me. There's another reason behind all this. I have to find out.


	8. Chapter 8: Enslaved

**Johnny's P.O.V.**

What the hell was that? That guy from earlier is really tough. I kept hissing as I tried to massage my back. That hit took one hell of a toll on me. I reached for my back and tried to soothe the throbbing pain. After a few minutes, I was able to placate atleast a bit of the pain.

Curse those riders. They keep getting in my way! Stephen, Ross and his lackeys will pay for what they did to my wife! What did I do to them for them to grant me such punishment?!

I mounted my bike and returned to the hospital. I hurried to my wife's room and stayed by her side. She's still asleep. I'm glad that she is, since she hasn't been getting that much rest lately to be honest. I sat on a chair beside her bed and started stroking her face. Ah, my beautiful angel...what have I done for you to deserve this?

I furrowed my eyebrows and hissed in anger. Why did they have to bring my wife into all this?! She has done nothing to them! I shook my head and rid myself of my anger. I can't be thinking about that now. It's just my wife and me for now.

I clutched her hand and kissed it. I kept caressing her face as I stared at her lovingly. I wish that she would just return to normal. Just then, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and found out that there was an undead in the area. I kissed my wife on the forehead and went on.

It didn't take me long to find the undead. When I saw him, I summoned my belt and pulled out my ace card.

"Henshin." I said lowly as I swiped the card down my belt.

"Change!" The belt announced.

I immediately summoned my rouzer and unleashed a fury of strikes on the undead. I dodged its attacks and countered with my own. The undead was fairly slow. It honestly didn't stand a chance against me. So I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and seal him. I knocked him down and attached my belt piece to my rouzer. I opened my holder and pullled out two cards.

"Drill. Tornado. Spinning Attack." My rouzer announced.

As the undead struggled to get up, I jumped up in the air and let the wind carry me. I landed a drill kick on the undead's chest which sent him flying. When I landed, I prepared to seal him. However, before I threw my card, the undead quickly got on his feet and touched his chest. A blue-light emanated from his chest and before I knew it, he was as good as new. How is that possible?!

As I was confused, the undead launched a projectile towards me. I was knocked out and when I got up, the undead was already in front of me. The undead punished me, with hit after hit, he seemed to grow stronger. When I got knocked away, I pulled out two other cards.

"Bio. Chop."

I absorbed the undead powers and casted a vine towards my opponent. The undead was wrapped up in vines and I pulled him to me. When he was in-range, I gave him a karate chop. The undead was paralyzed and was knocked out cold. An explosion went off on his body then his belt opened. I threw a blank card and sealed him. When the card returned to my hand, I examined it. It appeared to be a healing card. My eyes widened. With this, I may be able to heal my wife!

I hastily got on my bike and sped off to the hospital. On the way, I reverted back to my human form. I pulled out a card and swiped it down my belt.

"Spirit."

When I got to the hospital, I rushed to my wife's room and found her asleep. I smiled and stayed beside her. For the next few minutes, I kept pondering on whether I should use the card on her or not. I went with the former and went ahead. I locked the door and transformed into Chalice. I attached my belt piece and used the card.

"Recover." My rouzer said.

My hands glew to a blue color. I slowly approached my wife and held her face. The energy from my hands was transferred to her body gradually. As I was holding her, I saw her injuries starting to fade. My eyes widened as she slowly returned to normal. Once the healing was done, my wife groaned awake. I quickly reverted to my human form and faced her.

She slowly opened her eyes and turned to me. She slowly smiled her usual, beautiful grin and I just had to do the same. I sat down on my chair and grabbed her hand again. She slowly tried to sit up. I helped her by supporting her back and her stomach. When she was sitting, she spoke.

"Hey there." She said in a sweet tone.

"Hey. How ya been? You okay?" I asked worriedly.

"For sure!" She cheerfully replied.

I just had to smile. The card worked. "Glad to hear. I missed you, you know?" I said in a sad tone.

"Awwww." She reached forward and wrapped her arms around my neck. "I'm sorry for worrying you." She whispered as she hugged me tighter. I wrapped my own arms around her neck and closed my eyes, breathing in her scent. I missed her smell so much.

"It's not your fault." I whispered back as I continued to drug myself out with her sweet scent. "I just thought that you were never going to heal ever again. You've been in bad shape for quite some time, you know?"

"I know. I'm really sorry, Johnny. But I'm here now. I feel great. I feel new. I'm here for you. I won't let you go. I won't leave you. I promise."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

For the first time in months, I felt whole, I felt complete once again. Now that I have my wife by my side, I have nothing to be afraid of. But that doesn't mean that the hunt has ended. It has just begun. Or has it?

**Tony's P.O.V.**

I've finally found a gift for my girlfriend! Whew! She's gonna like this for sure! As I was contemplating on my victory, I bumped into someone.

"Oops, sorry about that sir." I apologized.

"I wonder why you humans were the ones who ruled this world. You are all pathetic. You are much too weak to become a dominant race among all others." The man chided.

I furrowed my eyebrows? Who does he think he is? He talks like he isn't even human. I talked back as if I didn't hear a word that he just said.

"Uhm, excuse me?"

"Stop playing games, you fool!" He suddenly punched me hard and knocked me down.

I touched my lip and found it bleeding. I stared back evilly at the mysterious cloaked man. The man slowly removed his hood and took off his glasses. After a few moments, his body glew to a yellow-green color. He lifted his hand and stretched it out towards me. Before I knew it, an energy blast-esque thing was making its way to me. I quickly rolled away and pulled out my belt. This is no ordinary human. This guy might not even be human!

"Henshin!" I exclaimed as I transformed.

I immediately tried to hit the mysterious man. The man simply blocked my punch and blasted me away with another one of his attacks. What is this guy? My question was answered, for his body glew and when the light disappeared, he emrged as an undead. I pulled out my rouzer and started shooting him.

He casually deflected my bullets with his summoned sword. When I stopped shooting him, his body glew once again, then multiple crystal-like projectiles were launched towards me. I wasn't fast enough to dodge, meaning I took all the hits like how an umbrella takes the hit of raindrops.

My energy was rapidly depleted by his attack. I struggled to get up as I panted. Man, this guy is extremely strong. The undead slowly approached me. As I prepared for the worst he opened his mouth and spoke.

"I might still be able to use you." He said.

I furrowed my brows and looked at him. "What?"

He held out his hand and casted some sort of spell. I became hazy, groggy and even sleepy. "You will obey me." The undead muttered.

After saying that, I immediately felt an impulse to obey him at all costs. I didn't want to, for that would be a hypocrisy and a grave crime against humanity. But something inside me suppressed that mentality. I tried to fight the strong urge to obey the undead. However, in the end, I lost.

I blacked out and succumbed to the undead's wishes.

I bowed down formally in front of the undead. "Yes, master."

**Kentavious' P.O.V.**

"Seven!" I exclaimed as I caught a tennis ball flying towards me with insane speed. I turned the ball and it read "seven". I grinned in triumph. This is really fun!

I pressed the nearby button again and waited for the next ball. When I least expected it, the machine shot a fast-ball towards me. I shouted "three" and caught it with ease. When I turned the ball around, it read "three". I smiled again.

Since the day Tony brought me here, I've started to sharpen my skills as a rider. This test, a.k.a. the Visual Test was the very first test that he introduced to me. At first, I couldn't see the number scribbled on the 500 kph tennis ball flying towards my face. So what did I do back then? Yep! I guessed the numbers as to not embarrass myself in front of Tony. Tony scolded me and told me not to guess. He told me to stay focused and to keep trying.

After a few days, I finally got it down and saw the numbers clearly. My newly heightened senses have proved to be REALLY useful when it comes to fighting. With it, it became a lot easier for me to dodge undead attacks and to counter them with ease. Training like this makes me want to fight some undead!

Oops. I guess I better watch my...desires. I might get in big trouble again if I start to fight like a raging animal. Atleast that's what Tony said. Since he is my senior, I decided to follow his advice. Actually, I've been doing a great job in keeping my fears and frustrations at bay. I have learned to be more patient and to be more understanding. And I also learned to remain unfazed by my recurring nightmares. Speaking of nightmares, I haven't been getting them as frequently as I used to these days. Tony was really right on the money with his words.

I continued with my training session for as long as I could. After visual training, I went ahead with hand-to-hand combat training, then rouzer training and et cetera. When I was finished, I received a call from Tony. What a coincidence!

"Hey Tony."

"Meet me at the local park. Now." He said lowly.

It did not sound like the normal Tony. It sounded like him, but it appeared that he wasn't in his normal mood. So I asked him about it. "Hey, you okay? Something wrong? You sound depressed."

"Just come here." He said and hung up.

Wow, talk about mood swings!

I mounted my bike and sped off to the local park. When I got there, I saw Tony standing with his back turned towards me. I got off my bike, hung my helmet on the handle and made my way to him.

"Tony!" I called out as I approached him.

He turned around and looked. He smiled at me at first. I returned it, of course. However, after smiling back, his smile immediately turned into an evil one. I stopped dead in my tracks and grew nervous. I've never seen him stare so evilly at me before. He looked like he just got a good dose of cocaine. Just kidding.

He pulled out his belt and inserted his ace inside the belt. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Tony? What are you doing?" I asked with a little fear.

"Henshin." He mumbled lowly as he walked through the projection.

"Turn Up!"

What the hell is going on with him?


End file.
